Volume I, song 005, page 5 - 'Oh open the door, Lord Gregory'

Introduction:

Verse 1:'Oh open the door, Lord Gregory,oh open and let me in;the rain rains on my scarlet robes,the dew drops o'er my chin.If you are the lass that I lov'd once,as I true you are not she,Come give me some of the tokensthat past between you and me.'

The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition.

Between 1787 and 1803 (first publication of the 'Scots Musical Museum')

Where:

The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh

Background:

The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition.

Description:

Note the spelling of 'passed' in the last line. James Johnson was not known for being a good speller or grammarian, and Burns was often aggravated by his mistakes. This song is taken from the ballad 'The Lass of Lochroyan', in Galloway. Glen (1900) was unable to find any recording of the melody prior to its publication in the 'Museum' although it is supposed to be a traditional tune.